Of course, I, on the other hand, with my Ikea oak countertop, probable went overboard in the other direction. Since I needed to trim the countertop to width,I figured I'd take off a couple of 1/2" strips to use for edging the MDF. I clamped the countertop to my bench base, and used the long cutting guide. I'd asked around for advice on cutting this large a piece of oak, and was told to try a Freud Diablo 40-tooth blade in my circular saw. I found one at my local home center, at a reasonable price, and it worked very well.
A better solution would have been to route a rabbet into the side, so that the added strip always had thickness. The way I did it means that the strip I glued in is very narrow, and hence very weak, at a certain point. In this case, that's not a problem, because it's going to be sitting under the countertop layer. I also noticed that because I had only clamped the strip down, and not into the edge, there was a noticeable glue gap where the strip butted up against the MDF. Again, in this application it isn't visible. But if I was doing something like this on the top of a table, I'd make sure to cut a clean rabbet, and to clamp both down and in.
On completion, you will graduate with a set of self-made tools, fixtures and storage units (not to mention the skills required to build them) that will serve and last you the rest of your life. You’ll be amply prepared to continue your woodworking education into specific trades such as architectural woodworking (finish work); custom door and window construction; solid-wood furniture and cabinetry; and boatbuilding. Over the course, we invite guest lecturers from the community to share their experience of becoming vocational woodworkers in these trades.

I wanted the left edge of the jaw of the front vise to be flush with the left edge of the top, the right edge with the left edge of the left front leg. So the amount of overhang on the left depends upon the width of the front vise jaw. The width of the jaw is, at a minimum, the width of the plate that supports it, but it's normal to make the jaw extend a bit beyond the plate. How far? The more it extends, the deeper a bite you can take with the edge of the vise, when, for example, you are clamping the side of a board being held vertically. But the more it extends, the less support it has. I decided to extend by 1-12", which gives me a 2-1/2" bite, and which should still provide solid support, given that the jaw is 1-1/2" thick. This means the top needs a left overhang of 12-1/4".

AJ and Scott have been very helpful showing me where tools are my first few days there. This is a workshop where you will have to work independently. They will show you how to use certain machines for the first time and orient you to the shop itself but they will not help you with your project. They can, however, be hired to help you with projects if that's what you need. I believe it's $75 an hour and limited to their availability. There is also a host of classes you can take if you want an intro into cabinet making, wood joining, turning etc. There are a lot of different classes that may pique your interests.
Thanks! Great information. As an advanced novice worker, I finally decided to build my first bench a couple years ago. After reading several of your blogs knowing full well mortised dove tale leg joinery is yet beyond my capability, I elected to build Robert Lang’s “21st Century Workbench”. I also chose his VERITAS Twin Screw Vise in the face vise position. Used an old Craftsman face vise in the tail vise position. Constructed of laminated 9/4 x 31/2″ Pecan and 60″ long because of my small crowed shop. Super happy to this point. As I mature in woodworking I may live to construct one of a different choice at a latter date, but I’m 73 so we’ll see. Thanks again for the advise.
Requirements and electives for the certificate and degree programs in cabinet and fine woodworking include an advanced cabinetry lab and a course in Euro-style hardware. Students in both the construction and cabinet programs can also learn about business contracts, receive training in computer technology and participate in a cooperative work experience.
Cut 15 top boards 5 ft. long and rip them to 3 in. wide with a table saw so the top will glue up flat without the typical rounded edges of 2x4s. For the leg slot, cut two of the top boards into three pieces: a 39-in. middle piece and two 7-in. end pieces. Glue and screw the top together, one board at a time, with 3-in. deck screws, keeping the ripped edge facing up and level with the adjoining boards. Use a corded drill so there’s plenty of oomph to drive each screw below the surface. Note that the third glue-up from each end is where each leg notch is inserted. You can also create a nifty tool tray in the top by notching the three top pieces with a jigsaw. Clamp every 8 in. or so before driving in the 3-in.deck screws. Predrill the screw holes near the ends to prevent splitting. When you’re screwing on the 7-in. long 2x4s to create the leg slots, use a scrap piece of 2×4 as a spacer.

First, cut one long edge. Second, cut a short edge, making sure it's square to the long edge you just cut. Clamp both pieces of the edging you'll be using along the long edge you've cut, and measure the width of the base plus 1/4-1/2", mark that, and then lay out a line through the mark that is square to the end you've cut, then cut along the line. Finally, cut the remaining short edge square to both long edges. (The length of the top doesn't need to precisely match anything, so we don't need to bother with clamping the trim before measuring.)

This place is so awesome. I just finished their cutting board class with Bob and it was a blast! he was very patient and informative. I showed him a handle I saw online and he actually helped me do it with my board and we ended up going over time of the class and I learned a ton (thanks bob!! You are the best!) I also took the wooden utensils class with tim and it was so much fun. I highly recommend this woodshop everyone there is so nice and down to earth

Linseed oil sitting in a bowl, or spread on the surface of wood, is perfectly safe. But a linseed oil soaked rag provides a vastly increase surface area, so the oxidation happens faster, and the rag can provide insulation, trapping the heat. The increased temperature speeds up the oxidation even more, which raises the temperature even more, and the runaway feedback can quickly result in temperatures that will cause the rag to spontaneously burst into flame. This isn't one of those "do not drive car while sunscreen is in place" warnings. This is one of those "keep your finger off the trigger until you have the gun pointed at something you want to shoot" warnings. Rags soaked in linseed oil will catch fire, if you don't handle them properly, and they can do so far more quickly than you might think.
Making an art or a design on a wooden piece is a hectic task and requires good art skills. But there is another much easier way to carve a beautiful art on any wood surface. For this, you will need the image or graphic that you want to transfer, a piece of wood, freezer paper, etc. I, myself have made several such designs. At the source below, you can find a step by step guide for transferring a graphic image to the wood.
For the router you'll need a a 3/8" straight bit, an edge guide, 1/4"- and 1/8"-radius roundover bits, and a flush-trim bit with at least a 1-1/2" cutting length. Bits of this size are available only for a 1/2" collet. Some routers are capable of using multiple collet sizes. I was fool enough to buy a router that only had a 1/4" collet. More on that, later.
In ancient times, the woodworker’s bench consisted of a plank or split log with four splayed legs. Descendants of those benches are manufactured today, usually with a top of hardwood slabs glued together. The norm nowadays is four straight legs supporting the bulk above, often with braces and a shelf below. Despite the improvements, the linkage to Greek and Roman antecedents is still evident.
I decided to make my own top out of white ash because I had access to a planer and jointer at my local college where I was taking an intro woodworking class. Trim and vice jaws are white ash as well. Everything else is built pretty much as jdege describes. A plunge router with a 3/4" spiral up bit really made quick work of the dog holes. Finished with Danish oil.
Palomar Community College in San Marcos, located about 35 miles north of San Diego, offers certificate, degree and life-long learning programs to more than 20,000 students a year. In particular, the Cabinetmaking and Furniture Technology Department offers in excess of 50 classes annually, and the present faculty is composed of four full-time teachers, 21 part-time instructors and 11 teaching assistants. As of Fall 2013, woodworking students will have access to a newly remodeled woodworking facility equipped with three machine rooms, three bench rooms, a saw mill and a finish room.

Sjobergs’ woodworking benches are recognized all over the world for their durability, handy design and extra features that make these benches well worth the money. This Hobby Plus bench is the perfect fit for a woodworking enthusiast, especially since it is equipped with two vices and bench dogs. This could become your one and only woodworking station!

Over the years, the editors at The Family Handyman have built nearly a hundred bookcases. From all that experience, we’ve learned that the best building tricks are shortcuts that avoid complex steps. So whether you’re a beginning builder or a veteran, these bookcase and shelf building tips will lead to beautiful results with less time and effort. Get the bookcase and shelf tips.
I drilled from the mark. That way I could ensure that the hole was where it was supposed to be, on the side where the position was critical. I have two 3/8" bits -- a brad point bit that came with my doweling set, and a perfectly ordinary 3/8" twist bit. Brad-point bits are far more precise than twist bits -- they're more likely to start where you want them to, and they're more likely to stay straight. My problem is that my brad-point bit wasn't long enough to go through 3-1/2" of wood. So I started each hole with the brad-point bit, then finished it off with the twist bit. I clamped a piece of ply on the back, to reduce tear-out.
I marked out the one hole location, drilled a shallow 1/16" hole into the top. I then put a 1/16" bit through the hole in my template and into the hole I had just drilled. I lined up the template, and drilled a second hole, then put another bit through that. From then on, I worked entirely from the template. With two bits through the holes pinning the template in place, the other holes in the template would be precisely located (or so the theory goes) on a 4x4" grid.
Some tools required for this project are hole saw, drilling machine, pencil, tape measure, clamps, etc. This tutorial explains every step properly with images so that anyone can make a wooden sofa sleeve easily. Those, who prefer a video tutorial, can visit the below link to a YouTube video that illustrates the process of building a DIY Sofa Sleeve Cupholder.

An excellent introduction to woodworking is to use crates as your main material. The boxes are already formed, which means less assembly work for you—yet it looks impressive once your project is altogether. With this crate coffee table, you still get to practice your skills adding the casters and the center box. Finish with a little stain, and this table is ready to roll. You can find the full tutorial at DIY Vintage Chic.

From the image above it seems that you do not require a big tutorial to help you to build this candle holder. All you need is a wood panel, a hook and some nails/screws and do exactly what you see in the picture. Attach the hook to the wood panel using two screws and then, attach the panel to the wall using more nails or screws. That’s it. I hope this gets the job done.

For your kitchen, it can work as a knife rack. It gives you easy access to all essential tools while saving space. In addition, it adds a nice visual appeal to your kitchen wall. You can customize your wall rack with different materials, designs and styles. I am here sharing the source link to the step by step tutorial about how to make a rustic wall knife rack.

I'm not kidding when I say that this shop has everything you need to make a project happen. They are not only equipped but also some of the nicest people. Supportive and, mostly, willing to help you with your project. The idea is for you to do it on your own, but if you get stuck I have yet to see someone say, "no, figure it out on your own." they are helpful and fair. I love this place, and the people I have met there.

Put the countertop on the base, put the MDF on top of the countertop, and line up the marks you drew on each end of the MDF with the countertop below it. When you have it lined up, clamp things down, and route the edge of the MDF using a 1-1/2" or longer flush-trim bit, with the depth adjusted so the bearing rides on the countertop. I clamped a couple of scraps of doubled MDF at each end to give the router base something extra to ride on at the ends.
Learn how to use power tools, as well as traditional and modern hand tools, safely and effectively. Class assignments introduce basic concepts and techniques, to give you the skills needed for many woodworking projects such as mill board flattening and straightening, creating strong joints for connecting wood, and gluing boards together to make a panel. Students leave with a strong foundation for more advanced wood classes and a small end table. All tools for learning are provided.
Dip your toes in the world of woodworking with our week-long courses, and by the end of the week, you'll be swimming. During these intensive, week-long woodworking courses, you will benefit from the guidance of our expert furniture makers, learning the basic principles of woodwork and cabinet making to professional standards. Hone your technique with our classes and create precise, beautiful work with our expertise, equipment and advice at your disposal.
Great advice. May I add #11?…if you’re left handed (like me), build a left handed bench. It sounds obvious, but when I made my bench, I had looked at all the pictures in my books, laid out plans for a nice, traditional bench, built it, then realized my front vise should have been on the other end (I have no tail vise). I plane from left to right, and the front vise is always in the way.
A workbench needs to be heavy enough that it doesn't move under you while you're working, and stiff enough that it doesn't rack itself to pieces under the forces that will be placed upon it. It doesn't take many hours of planing a board or hammering a chisel for a worktable made of nailed 2x4s to come apart. Traditional bench designs use mortise-and-tenon joinery, which is strong and rigid, but not really suited for a novice woodworker who doesn't already have a bench.

This trade and technical college currently serves over 15,500 credit students from its campus in downtown Los Angeles. Through the Construction, Design and Manufacturing Department, full-time students can enroll in a daytime certificate or an Associate of Science program in cabinet and millwork. Evening programs for current craftspeople include a certificate program in construction technologies and an Associate of Arts in cabinetmaking and millwork that provide students with the skills they need to work in construction or manufacturing.

The jaw for the front vise needed to be 10" long - to span the distance from the leg to the end of the top, 1-1/2" thick - to allow for benchdog holes to be drilled in it, and 5" tall. The end vise was mounted 3/4" lower than the front vise, and the screw and guide rods were thicker, so its jaws needed to be at least 6-1/2" tall. Again, they needed to be 1-1/2" thick to allow for benchdog holes, and 23" long to span the width of the bench.

I’ve built workbenches with more than 100 students. In every class, there’s one guy who wants to put a vise on every corner of the bench. Not because it’s a partner’s bench for two people. Just because he wants it that way. While I support your freedom to choose, I also don’t want to spend two weeks installing complex tail-vise hardware on your bench when we could be building furniture instead.

Get perfectly, consistently spaced and centered shelf-pin holes! Economical and practical, this jig can be used on assembled or unassembled cabinetry. Re-designed handle includes two storage compartments for self-centering bits! Ideal for adding shelves to new or existing cabinets. Drills holes either 1-7/16" or 2-1/2" from edge. Insert shelf pin in top or bottom position to extend jig for continuous drilling. Shelving Jigs measure 20" long Additional Self-Centering Bits available.

My first shop was a 8 x 10 ft room, actually a bedroom, with 10 ft high ceilings in a older home in Chicago. I had a 10" Craftsman TS, drill press, 8 1/4" Skil saw which still works, some welding tanks, hand tools and... my bed was a loft across the 10 ft length 4 ft down from the ceiling with a ladder against the wall to get up. I was 16 yrs old then, now I am 66 yrs, have 2 shops with Craftsman power tools up stairs, and Grizzly tools ,a Powermatic 68, a MIG welder, and other tools on the ground floor. I've come a long way, You think? I remember making bases for sculptures called "plinths", my first commission, in the living room, 5 pieces rather large, several ft long and wide. The house was haunted, and my mom told the "spirit" to leave and go back downstairs. There was a cold draft and the straw chair would rustle with no one sitting in it. Wow, does that bring back memories from the '60's.